Moleculin Biotech, Inc. is preclinical and clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of game-changing anti-cancer drug candidates, many of which are based on discoveries made at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Each of our projects represents a breakthrough discovery and a highly disruptive technology.

HOUSTON, Oct. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moleculin Biotech, Inc., (Nasdaq: MBRX) ("Moleculin" or the "Company"), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology drug candidates, all of which are based on license agreements with The University of Texas System on behalf of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, today announced that new data relating to its molecule WP1122 will be presented at the upcoming Society for Neuro-Oncology Annual Scientific Meeting.

“We continue to make progress in the development of our inhibitor of glycolysis, WP1122,” commented Dr. Donald Picker, Moleculin’s Chief Science Officer. “We believe that we have discovered new data during our IND-enabling research with animals that confirms a highly beneficial metabolism of WP1122 and significant organ accumulation of the inhibitor of glycolysis in the brain and also in the pancreas. This is especially significant because both brain and pancreatic tumors are highly dependent upon glucose for survival and WP1122 appears to have the ability to inhibit glycolysis, the process by which these tumors convert glucose into energy.”

Walter Klemp, Moleculin’s Chairman and CEO added, “Metabolic inhibition of tumors is conceptually a very important approach, and we believe we have a clear translational focus. We have been pushing hard to prepare WP1122 for Investigational New Drug (IND) status. It is encouraging to have discoveries during this process that appear to confirm the initial premise and give us more hope that WP1122 could become an important new way to deal with difficult cancers like glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer.”

The Society for Neuro-Oncology is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to promoting advances in neuro-oncology through research and education. Now in its twenty fourth year, the Society continues to grow and mature as the premier North American organization for clinicians, basic scientists, nurses and other health care professionals whose focus is central nervous system tumors in children and adults. This year’s Annual Scientific Meeting will be held November 15 – 18, 2018 at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.

About Moleculin Biotech, Inc.

Moleculin Biotech, Inc. is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development f oncology drug candidates, all of which are based on discoveries made at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Our clinical stage drugs are Annamycin, an anthracycline designed to avoid multidrug resistance mechanisms with little to no cardiotoxicity being studied for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, more commonly referred to as AML, and WP1066, an immuno-stimulating STAT3 inhibitor targeting brain tumors, pancreatic cancer and AML. We are also engaged in preclinical development of additional drug candidates, including additional STAT3 inhibitors and compounds targeting the metabolism of tumors.

Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the ability of WP1122 to show safety and efficacy in patients. Although Moleculin Biotech believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Moleculin Biotech has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,'' ''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those discussed under Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our most recently filed Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and updated from time to time in our Form 10-Q filings and in our other public filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.